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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29483985">One Step Closer</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikki_2406/pseuds/Nikki_2406'>Nikki_2406</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Open Heart (Visual Novels)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:14:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,857</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29483985</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikki_2406/pseuds/Nikki_2406</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After a trip to a hospital at the countryside, she brings home a donkey......</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ethan Ramsey/Main Character (Open Heart), Ethan Ramsey/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One Step Closer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ethan started climbing the stairs to his apartment because the elevator was out of service.</p>
<p>NO.</p>
<p>Scratch that.</p>
<p>His AND Luna’s apartment.</p>
<p>A couple of months ago, when Luna wrapped up with her residency, he had popped the question. He was convinced that she will say 'yes’ but instead, she refused. Her fiercely independent nature made it impossible for her to agree to move-in with Ethan in his apartment. She was pretty insistent that they start looking for a new place to live together rather than in Ethan’s expensive apartment. On the other hand, he himself was too stubborn to let go of that apartment. According to him, wasting time in searching for a new place was useless.</p>
<p>“It will always be your apartment. I didn’t pay for it, I didn’t invest anything in it. It should be a 50-50”</p>
<p>…….was what she said.</p>
<p>It wasn’t a bad place to live though….it was one of those classy, luxurious piece of real estate; a two-level penthouse.</p>
<p>Well…except for the fact that the elevator was out of service…..which..has never…..been..the case……but..still…</p>
<p>A few days ago, a small hospital in Vermont had a pretty challenging case; a couple; and both of 'em were sick. The doctors there were having trouble in treating the couple because they weren’t able to diagnose them. So they had asked for some help from the diagnostic team of Edenbrook. Surprisingly, the data provided to them by that hospital showed that that case had loads and loads of similarities with the 'Leland Bloom case’.</p>
<p>So Luna had gone over there along with Baz to help them with that case. She was supposed to come back to Boston today.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Waaaaaiit whaaaat!? The door is wide open?</p>
<p>“Luna must have come back…”, he thought.</p>
<p>He entered the penthouse and took off his coat. Then he turned around to go change his clothes but-</p>
<p>“WHAT THE-”</p>
<p>〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜</p>
<p>Luna had just finished unpacking her things in the bedroom when she suddenly heard someone shout.</p>
<p>She had never been to the countryside ever. And this trip was sooo exhilarating for her. All the trees, the fields, the farm and the animals &amp; stuff was just so exciting for her. She loved it there.</p>
<p>“Ethan might have come home…he’s early though….”</p>
<p>“WAIT HE IS HOME?!?!!!! SHIT-”</p>
<p>She dropped everything and ran to the kitchen in lightning speed.</p>
<p>“Ethan….</p>
<p>you’re back…</p>
<p>YAYY!!!”</p>
<p>“Is that a real, live donkey in our kitchen, Rookie?”</p>
<p>Luna gulped.</p>
<p>“Donkey? Huh..wha-what donkey? What are you talking about? How can there be a donkey in Boston that too in our kitchen? Ohh HA-HA-HA you’re being funny. I didn’t know that the Ethan Ramsey liked to joke….ha…ha…ha…..ohhh there is a donkey in the kitchen, alright.</p>
<p>ETHAN I’M SO SO SO VERY SORRY”</p>
<p>“Why the fuck is there a freakin’ donkey in the kitchen?”</p>
<p>“Ethan I-”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“CAN”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“EXPLAIN”</p>
<p>“You better have a good explanation for this donkey”</p>
<p>“Jojo”</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>“Jojo. It’s his name”</p>
<p>“YOU-”</p>
<p>“SEE..we were on our way back to Boston but the cab had a flat tire. While the driver was dealing with all that me and Baz heard Jojo-”</p>
<p>“The donkey”</p>
<p>“Jojo. We heard Jojo shout. Or bray. Whatever it is that he does. His leg was hurt and it was bleeding. So we started dressing up his wound. But he had lost too much of blood and then he went into what I presume, a cardiac arrest so I started CPR-”</p>
<p>“You performed CPR on a donkey?”</p>
<p>“I performed CPR on Jojo.”</p>
<p>“Please don’t tell me that you hooked an IV to him too”, Ethan said with annoyance.</p>
<p>“We did what we had to, to save his life”</p>
<p>“Seriously, Luna?”</p>
<p>“I took an oath. I’m a doctor. Jojo was dying. He was in pain, he was in agony. There were literal tears falling from his eyes.”</p>
<p>“You are a doctor, yes but you’re not a veterinarian.”</p>
<p>“So what? What did you expect me to do?”</p>
<p>“You could have called the animal helpline”</p>
<p>*clink* Jojo knocked down Ethan’s precious cactus.</p>
<p>“And wait for them to come? HE COULD HAVE DIED, ETHAN”</p>
<p>“HE’S A DONKEY FOR GOD’S SAKE”</p>
<p>“ARE YOU SAYING THAT ANIMALS DON’T DESERVE TO LIVE?”</p>
<p>*thump* Jojo pulled out the oven’s door</p>
<p>“I AM SAYING THAT THERE WAS NO REASON FOR YOU TO PLAY DR. DOLITTLE AND CONVERT THIS PLACE INTO NOAH’S ARC”</p>
<p>“I SERIOUSLY CANNOT BELIEVE THAT YOU OF ALL PEOPLE ARE SAYING THIS!! JOJO WAS DYING. HE COULD HAVE DIED. AND THERE’S NO ONE WITH HIM. CAN YOU IMAGINE DYING IN A HUGE FIELD ALL ALONE?”</p>
<p>*clank* Jojo pulled out one of the cabinet’s door</p>
<p>“AND WHAT IF YOU HAD MADE A MISTAKE WITH THE CPR OR THE IV? WOULD HE HAVE LIVED THEN?”</p>
<p>“UGGHHH WHY CAN YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? HE WAS DYING I HAD TO DO SOMETHING TO SAVE HIM INSTEAD OF SITTING AROUND WAITIN’ FOR-”</p>
<p>“SO YOU DECIDED TO-”</p>
<p>*sound of glass shattering*</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>.</p>
<p>“Where did Jojo go?”</p>
<p>“Where did the donkey go?”</p>
<p>“He’s a living being and his name is Jojo”</p>
<p>“And where did the 'living being’ go?”</p>
<p>“I- I don’t know”</p>
<p>“The door is open”</p>
<p>“He wouldn’t have left if you had closed the door properly when you came home”</p>
<p>“Are you blaming me for all of this? Because to me, it looks like none of this would have happened if you hadn’t bought a donkey at home”</p>
<p>“I am not blaming, I- you know what, we need to go find Jojo. He must be soo scared; God knows where he is right now. You comin’ or not?”</p>
<p>“Well you clearly care about that donke- Jojo. Emotionally, he means something to you, so yeah I’m coming with you.”</p>
<p>He saw the tears forming in Luna’s eyes and assured her, “Don’t worry, we’ll find him. He must not have gone far. Come on”</p>
<p>〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜</p>
<p>6 hours later,</p>
<p>“Was he there?”</p>
<p>“No Luna, he wasn’t there..I looked everywhere. I’m so sorry”</p>
<p>“Where did he go?”, Luna said with tears streaming down her face.</p>
<p>“Hey. Hey. Hushh. Come here”</p>
<p>“Should we-should we look in the park again? Or maybe he’s in th-”</p>
<p>“I uhh…think that we should go home”</p>
<p>“And stop looking for Jojo? Boston is a big city, Ethan. He could be anywhe-”</p>
<p>“Exactly. Boston’s a big city. It’s impossible to search every single corner of this city to find a donkey.”</p>
<p>“Bu-but we can-”</p>
<p>“We tried. We tried finding him. We looked everywhere in the neighbourhood to find him.”</p>
<p>“What if we missed something?”</p>
<p>“We tried our best to find him, Luna.”</p>
<p>“We….tried. We tried. But what if he’s in danger and needs help?”</p>
<p>“We can hope that he’s safe. Okay?”</p>
<p>“….okay…we can hope. Lets go home then….but can we check the street behind the public library once again?”</p>
<p>“Sure”, Ethan said while squeezing her hand.</p>
<p>With no luck finding Jojo, they went home.</p>
<p>“I’ll clean up this mess in the kitchen, you go take a bath”, Ethan said.</p>
<p>“Do you think that he’ll come back?”, she asked him with a hopeful look in her eyes.</p>
<p>He put his hands on her shoulders, looked at her in the eye and said, “Those who are meant to be in your life, always come back. I came back, right?”</p>
<p>Luna gave him a nod and went into the bedroom to take a bath. She had decided to take one in the afternoon after unpacking but…then….Jojo.</p>
<p>She put on a robe and entered the bathroom. She was barely inside the bathroom when-</p>
<p>“ETHAN!! ETHAN COME HERE FAST IT’S A MIRACLE YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE IT”</p>
<p>Ethan was picking up the shattered pieces of glass from the floor when he heard Luna calling him. He ran to the bedroom.</p>
<p>“What is it? What happened? Are you okay?”</p>
<p>“LOOK!!!! JOJO! HE’S IN THE BATHTUB SWIMMING”</p>
<p>“HOW- HE- BATHTUB-”</p>
<p>“I KNOW RIGHT!?!?!! I THOUGHT THAT HE’S REALLY GONE”</p>
<p>“You’ve got to be fuckin’ kidding me”</p>
<p>“I had planned to take a bath and I had filled the bathtub. But then you came home and started shouting, then we had a fight-”</p>
<p>“There was a whole ass donkey in the kitchen. What did you expect me to do? Pet it? Brush it’s hair? Or take it out for a walk? Put on a leash around it’s neck?”, Ethan rolled his eyes.</p>
<p>“…and then you might have left the door open when you came in. That’s why when he went missing we thought he ran outside while he has been here the WHOLE TIME!!!!”</p>
<p>“-and all this time he was in this bathtub having the best time of his life”</p>
<p>“……….none of this would have happened if you had closed the door properly when you came home”</p>
<p>“Why do I feel like I have heard this before?”</p>
<p>They chuckled.</p>
<p>“Okay now I’m going to make a call and get this donkey out of here”</p>
<p>“WHAT!? WHY? ETHAN YOU CANNOT DO THIS!!!”</p>
<p>“What do you mean by I cannot do this? Of course I can and I will. Where else would he live?”</p>
<p>“I uhh..was umm…thinking about the possibility of keeping Jojo here. With us”</p>
<p>“You want to keep a donkey as a pet? Is that even legal?”</p>
<p>“What others won’t know, won’t hurt them”</p>
<p>“You get the meaning of what you’re saying, right? You want to keep a donkey hostage-”</p>
<p>“I DO NOT want to donkey-nap him. I just want him to be with me. It feels right when he’s with me. He’s my baby”</p>
<p>“I would pretend that I understand what you meant by that. But I’m not going to let you convert this place into Noah’s ark. I’m making the call whether you like it or not”</p>
<p>“NO YOU CANNOT TAKE JOJO AWAY FROM ME. HE CAME BACK. THIS IS A SIGN THAT HE’S MEANT TO BE WITH US”</p>
<p>“I am not taking him away from you, Rookie. But this is nothing like the place where he’s used to live. Think about him too”</p>
<p>〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜</p>
<p>That night,</p>
<p>“He’s gone?”</p>
<p>Ethan nodded in reply.</p>
<p>“He’s gone…”, the realisation dawning on her</p>
<p>“Luna..he’s in a good place. He’s in his happy place. And he’s not gone. We can go visit him whenever you want. It’s just a couple of hours away from here”</p>
<p>“Whenever?”</p>
<p>“Yes”</p>
<p>“Ca-can we go tomorrow?”</p>
<p>“If that’s what you want, then yes. We will”</p>
<p>Luna gave Ethan a tight hug.</p>
<p>“Are you still crying? You really got attached with him, didn’t you?”</p>
<p>“………..he was my baby”</p>
<p>“This is not the best time to bring this up, but what do you feel about getting a dog? It can be your baby. We can also name it after you, we can call it Dr Dolittle”, a playful smirk forming on his features.</p>
<p>“That is so not my name”, Luna laughed while playfully swatting his arm.</p>
<p>“Atleast it made you laugh”, Ethan said certainly pleased with himself.</p>
<p>～～</p>
<p>“Ethan?”</p>
<p>“Hmm”</p>
<p>“What do you think of a real baby?”</p>
<p>“That..is…….”</p>
<p>“……….a discussion for another day?”</p>
<p>“yea”</p>
<p>〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜〜</p>
<p>And hence, they moved one step closer because of Jojo. See where I’m coming from folks??</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Heyy there!! </p>
<p>I'm transferring my fics from tumblr to here. They're not that much </p>
<p>This was my 100+ giveaway fic for @maurine07 on tumblr. </p>
<p>♥♥</p></blockquote></div></div>
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